The invention relates to the field of electrical protection, and is particularly directed to a housing for protecting electrical devices and for protectively coupling two cables and a fissile link.
Automobiles are increasingly reliant on electronic controls and engine management systems. As a result of these controls and systems, modern automobiles are much more dependable than prior autos, which instead used more vulnerable mechanical systems. Although the hardware embodying the electronic controls and systems is rather dependable, the failure of the means for directly or indirectly bringing electrical current to such hardware continues to be a rare but, nevertheless, significant source of automotive breakdowns. An automotive breakdown, especially in a deserted area or on a very busy high-speed road, is obviously a safety hazard to the automobile and its passengers.
One specific type of failure in prior art means can lead to an even more hazardous condition than automotive breakdown. This failure occurs at the junction between the fusible link and the current-carrying cable, causing high resistance and increased temperatures. Under certain conditions the increased temperatures can reach sufficiently high levels to split the insulation on the conventional copper-wire fusible links, initiating an engine compartment fire that can quickly destroy the automobile and endanger its occupants.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,366 issued to Schmidt et al. discloses a series of protective coverings over a heating wire connected to a power wire. The heating wire is connected in series to an electrical pin which is directly joined to a fuse wire. The fuse wire is then joined to the power wire. Two opposing metal caps are bonded on their inner surfaces to a ceramic tube to form a hermetically sealed shell surrounding the junctions between the fuse wire and pin, and between the fuse wire and power wire. Then, a heat shrinkable tubing is used to grip the caps and ceramic tubing, encasing the fuse area.
Like other prior art devices, the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,366 does not solve the problem of protecting failure at the junctions of the fusible link due to force applied to the cable assembly.
In addition to the excess heat generated due to failures at the junctions of the fusible link and the cable, excess heat is often generated by the fusible link itself causing a failure of the insulative housing as well.
The insulating cover cannot withstand extreme temperatures and, under certain excessive current conditions, will melt, split, burn or separate from the wire long before the copper wire link melts. Additionally, as current passes through the wire it heats up causing the insulating cover to shrink. When the insulating wire shrinks it pulls away from the protective housing connected thereto, increasing the likelihood of failure of the cable assembly.
Accordingly, a housing for a cable assembly in accordance with the present invention eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art devices described above.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a protective housing is provided for a fusible link and cable assembly. The protective housing includes a first housing member having a first end portion and a second end portion, and a second housing member having a first end portion and a second end portion. The first and second housing members are coupled to form the protective housing. When the first and second housing members are coupled together, a channel extends from the first end thereof to the second end thereof. Additionally, a first rib extends from the protective housing into the channel, and a second rib extends from the protective housing into the channel. The second rib is generally transverse to the first rib.
According to another aspect of the present invention a first rib and a second rib extend from the first housing member into the channel. The second rib of the first housing member is transverse to the first rib of the first housing member. Similarly, a first rib and a second rib extend from the second housing member into the channel. The second rib of the second housing member is transverse to the first rib of the second housing member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the first rib extending from the protective housing member extends axially from the protective housing, and the second rib extending from the protective housing extends substantially perpendicular to the first rib.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a shoulder extends from the first housing member, and the second housing member has a groove therein. Generally, the shoulder in the first housing member extends adjacent a side of the first housing member, and the groove in the second housing member extends adjacent a side of the second housing member. The shoulder of the first housing member mates with the groove of the second housing member when the first and second housing members are coupled. Additionally, the first housing member may also have a groove therein in addition to the shoulder, and the second housing member may also have a shoulder extending therefrom in addition to the groove. The shoulder of the second housing member is adapted to mate with the groove of the first housing member when the first and second housing members are coupled.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the first housing member is fixedly connected to the second housing member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the protective housing comprises a pair of housing members, each housing member having a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate section therebetween. The first end portion has a first cavity, the second end portion has a second cavity, and the intermediate section has an intermediate cavity. The intermediate cavity has a greater volume than the first and second cavities. A first rib protrudes from each housing member into the first cavity and a transverse second rib protrudes from each housing member into the second cavity. Additionally, each housing member has a groove adjacent a side thereof and a shoulder adjacent an opposing side thereof. The housing members connectedly mate to form the protective housing, and the first, second, and intermediate cavities of the housing members form a channel from the first end of the protective housing to the second end of the protective housing.
According to another aspect of the present invention a protective housing covers the fusible link and portions of the first and second cables. The first and second ribs contact the protective covering of the cables to contain the first and second cables.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the first and second housing members have interconnecting members to mate the first and second housing members together.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings.